Posted by:
Derek
(
)
Date: November 12, 2010 03:40PM
Mormonism stands in the developmental world as a basic blue meme. You can find more information as to the development of these concepts from an understanding of spiral dynamics which shows how societies, cultures, people develop. Mormonism is really a movement from the red meme to the blue meme... here are some charachteristics of a Blue meme world view (value structure).
BLUE – The Law & Order, Higher Truth, Absolutistic Value Structure
Blue Primary Characteristics:
C Home of the Mythical Self.
C New sources of wisdom and truth are revealed. Moses’ delivery of the Ten Commandments from Mt. Sinai signaled
the arrival of Blue. Such absolute “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots” are necessary to introduce order, discipline,
meaning, and purpose into the human evolutionary stream.
C A single Higher Truth, Power, or Authority rules the Universe, sets human destiny and limitations, prescribes what is
“right” and “wrong,” and gives meaning and direction to human existence. There is a grand design behind existence
and a purpose to everything, though mortals may not comprehend it.
C Hierarchical structures. The Absolute Authority (God, the Bible, the Commander in Chief, etc.) sits at the pinnacle and
speaks to a lesser authority, who in turn speaks to those further down the chain of command.
C Following the divinely appointed pathway ties me to something greater than myself (a cause, belief, tradition,
organization, or movement).
C Black and white, polarized thinking.
C Good opposes evil in an ongoing battle for dominion.
C Blue ideologues have complete faith in their beliefs and in the inevitable victory of their version of The Truth.
C There is an absolute belief in one right way, and unquestioned obedience to authority.
C Understanding and tolerance are limited. There are no gray areas or compromises among true believers.
C Any “non-system” approach is: A) wrong by definition, B) probably sinful, and C) may have been introduced solely as
a test of one’s faith.
C With Blue comes written language. This enables knowledge to be recorded in enduring form across generations.
Doctrines are spelled out in “The Book”. Scripture is interpreted literally, verbatim. Written texts become sacred (the
Torah, The Bible, The Koran, etc.).
C Behavioral freedom is restricted. The Higher Authority is always watching us. Ultimate rewards await those who do
what is right, and woe unto everyone else. Spontaneity yields to compliance, keeping Red impulses firmly in check by
obeying higher orders.
C Codes of morality and conduct are based on eternal, absolute principles. Impulsivity is controlled through guilt. One
conforms out of fear of punishment, shunning, or excommunication.
C Too much freedom and a lack of clear direction are experienced as stressful.
C One’s sense of personal worth comes from evaluations made by outside authorities.
C Religious conversions – wiping the slate clean and being born again with a new mission and purpose in life.
C Satisfaction is found in doing one’s duty. Law and discipline build character and moral fiber.
C Righteous living produces stability now and guarantees a future reward. People willingly sacrifice present desires in
the sure knowledge that they will be rewarded with something wonderful in the future.
C Benefits perceived as unearned produce guilt.
C To the question, “Haven’t we heard this before?” comes the response, “Yes, and it will be good for you to hear it
again.”
C One’s close associates must share the same beliefs, which may include both religion and politics. Friendships and
networking happen among inner circles of believers. However, when conflicts break about among inner circle
members, they may be vicious. Even family members may never speak to one another again.
C One’s heritage is an extension of a time line that is to be passed on to future generations.
C Most people need a Blue structure in their lives (be it Christian, Confucian, or something secular) that they can anchor
their lives to. Young people flounder when they are not able to find a Blue anchor for their lives.
Blue In Societies:
C Politics are characterized by fascism, nationalism, shared ideologies, and theocracies.
C Everyone is expected to know their place and keep to it, to not fraternize with one’s betters, to make the most of what
has been allotted to then, and to be thankful for it.
C Everyone sacrifices for the common good. People gladly submit to authoritarianism to “get the trains running on time
again.” Overt self-interest is wrong and jeopardizes one’s place among the fellowship of believers.
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Blue At Its Best:
C Brings stability to the lawless chaos of Red.
C Finding happiness in service to others. Sharing, charity, and taking care of one’s fellows in times of trouble.
C Produces people with peace of mind, a clear hope for the future, and abiding faith that there is meaning and purpose
in life.
C Carries through on responsibilities and commitments. People who are “the salt of the earth.”
Blue At It’s Worst:
C Rigid, dogmatic, and closed minded.
C Self-righteous and judgmental.
C Stern task-masters who are never satisfied with less than perfection. Finding fault takes precedence over recognizing
the good. Children are never allowed to be good enough.
Where Blue is Seen:
C A child’s first experimentations with right and wrong, fair and unfair, sharing equally, and resolving conflicts with the
aid of an authority (parent or teacher).
C Attempts to go “back to basics” and restore those traditional values and morals that made us great in the past.
C Spare the rod and spoil the child.
C Religious fundamentalism in all its forms: Hasidic Judaism, Nation of Islam educational system, Islamic Jihads,
Christian fundamentalism, the Amish, the Moral Majority.
C Fanatical atheism.
C Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon, Andy Taylor’s Mayberry.
C Puritan America.
C The military, patriotism, codes of chivalry and honor.
C The Salvation Army.
C Boy and Girl Scouts.
C Robert’s Rules of Order.
C Alcoholics Anonymous.
Blue Population & Power:
C 40% of the people in the world, 30% of the power in the world.
Growth: What Moves People from Blue to Orange:
C People begin to seek freedom from the limitations that accompany faith in the One True Doctrine, or from the
restraints imposed by relationships with other true believers. They may become increasingly angry and resentful over
limitations imposed on their personal freedom.
C “I’m tired of being ‘right.’ I just want to be happy.”
C There is an initial cautious, inoffensive, and controlled movement back toward independent thinking. It becomes
possible to deviate from the One Truth, as long as one remains in close proximity to it.
C True believers begin to voice quiet uncertainty among some of their peers. One may be respectful of authority when it
is present, but critical when it is not.
C The ability to distinguish among different versions of the truth emerges. Questions arise about exactly where truth
resides, and who is authorized to interpret it. Truth becomes open to the masses, not just a privileged priestly
hierarchy.
C Doubts about the infallibility of authority allow for reinterpretation of the truth to better fit the “real world”.
C God wants us to use the brains he gave us, not just blindly obey.
C Real improvements begin to seem possible through independent thinking and a little less restriction from authority.
The trains don’t have to just run on time; they can be made to run faster, too. Believers begin discussing reforms they
would like to implement.
C We come to believe that we ourselves are a better authority than the established authority. Newly emerging autonomy
layered over a Blue belief in absolute authority can lead to a strong sense of our own total rightness.
C People search out the failings of established authorities, whose feet turn out to be made of clay. Whistle blowers
appear. The misdeeds of those in authority are publicly reported.
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C Self-made martyrs appear who need to be punished by the system so they can be reborn even stronger. By reacting
against these critics, Blue establishes their legitimacy. If martyrs are ignored, they will find a way to somehow be
punished or made victims of the authority.
C One begins to accept that overt rejection of authority will cost them the support of those who still believe in it.
C Always tell the truth, but the whole truth need not always be told.